Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-05-21
CRlTICISING THE COMMISSIONERS.
The Selection Of New school Sites I'm
the Second District Reviewed.

CRlTIClSING THE COMMISSIONERS.
The Selection Of New School Sites I'm
the Second District Reviewed.
RKfokr or THR SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF CrrrxRNs' A.
ISOLATION, NO. 4-REsoLuT1oNs N REGARD 10 TIE
INCREASE OF THE WATER rAx-rHR Csc or THE
HENRY BUILDING.
Citzens' Association, No. 4, held a meeting last
evening at Carroll Institute Hail. Mr.. A. c. Rich.
aros In the chair, and E w. Dom, secretary. The
committee on schools, through its chairman, Mr..
noble d. Larner, submitted report The report
was signed by Messrs Lafner, A. c. Richards and
simon Wolf, and stated that this association, nnd-
Ing the District authorities had neglected to re-
commend any appropriation to build school.
houses Tor the common schools OF the second d.
VISION, although recommending large appropria-
IONS to build annexes for the high schools, in.
structed Its committee on schools to apply to
Congress for relief
WHAT THE COMMITTEE DIN.
The committee, therefore, had q conference
with the Senate subcommittee. OF which Senator
Plumb was chairman, and stated the condition
and need; OF the common schools OF the second
division, as to school buildings and especially Of
that part OF the division lying south Of Massa-
cnusettS avenue and east OF 9th street, and sug-
geSted that the cost OF the site and OF an eight
room senooi building In that locality would be- in
ITS opiiniG3nI about $1,000 Incidentally the
|
larging the high schools at the expense
OF 9art the common schools came up and was
sS seaa9e
mittee. subsequently both houses OF Congress
concurred in granting liberal appropriations for
school houses was made In bulk for the purpose,
as the committee understood, Of enabling the
commissioners p, to purchase site in the neghbor-
hoo0 OF Judiciary Square. site in this locality
might cost more than $40 OOO and II SO the build
ing would have 70 be correspondingy cheapened.
neglected as to school accommodations, il bounded
on the north by Massachusetts, avenue, on the
west by 9th street, on the south by the Mall, and
more than fifty squares In the heart OF the CITY, all
densely populated and heavily taxed but without
sngie public school-room OF any kind, either
owned or rented and 1t was for the purpose OF
ievlng THIS particular section that your commit
tee made Its appeal to Congress-"
AN ADVISORY SCHOOL BOARD.
''The school board, which formerly represented
the people In the management OF their schools has
now been reduced to a mere advisory agency Of
the Commissioners, who themselves are the agents
OF the National Executive and rulers the Dis
trict people, but not their representatives. These
FACTS our rulers take care TO impress upon the
people as opportunity offers, and so 1t has hap
pened that sites for the school buildings for this
DIVISION have lately been selected and purchased
at high figures as compared with assessments, or
the SAFE OF adjoining property, and in utter disre
Saru or the wishes and needs Of the people, and
Just where the sites are not wanted. One site Is
on Vermont avenue, between T and U streets This
site Stands on the assessors books at valuation
OF $664; that 1t was sold ana transferred In July,
paid for 1t the sum OF $40, 49, So being fraction
over 81 per foot. The other site has been pur-
enasea Ia the nortaery part OF the extreme eastern
street, between & and streets, in DeighbOrhOOd
already Overstocked with school buildings. The
per foot"
TO ENLARGE THE HIGH SCHOOL,
The Commissioners and their Superintendent OF
Schools and their Advisory School Board, as your
| committee Is informed, have abolished examina-
| the doors OF the High School have been thrown
open to all corners whom the Grammar School
principals may choose to send, or the District OIL
GERS and their superintendent, through impOrtu-
nifty or favor1tism, may choose to admit, or cause
| to be admitted, whether possessing the necessary
qualifications 10 enter or not In this way Hood
OF applicants quite beyond the present seating ca
pacty Of the building, will be brought TO the door
OF the High School, and a pressure will, it Is
thought be thereby created sufficient TO excuse
the seizure and appropriation Of the Henry Build
ing, or part OF It, as an annex to the High school
II This be the purpose, and we are led TO believe
such Is the purpose OF those now having charge OF
the schools, from suggestion made by one OF the
trustees OF public schools at meeting OF the board
held Immediately after the adjournment OF the
last Congress, when the failure obtain appro-
priatton for the enlargement OF the High school
building was under discussion viz: That "por-
ton OF the Henry building could be used for high
school purposes, 1t affords some explanation OF
the probable motive for locating the two new
buildings where they may be made available to
ceive the pupils about to be turned out or the
Henry. But such seizure and appropriation Of
the Henry building, or part OF 1t, would not only
90 an INJURY TO The common schools OF the second
division, but would accomplish indirectly what
Congress declined to do directly. Indeed, II any
one TACT, in relation to school affairs, was empha-
sized by the action OF Congress at its late session.
II was the fact that the High School ought not to
be further enlarged, until the common schools had
been provided for.
1.-THE wishes OF the citizens OF the second school
division having haan
having charge OF our public schools, and the evt-
dent intention OF Congress having been thwarted
by the recent purchase OF the school Sites your
committee has deemed it to be its duty to lay be-
fore you all the facts In the case, With the view OF
having the association consider the matter and
issue 70 your committee such instructions as you
may deem necessary under the circumstances"
The report was adopted, after remarks by Gen.
Hovey and Mr.. Simon Wolf.
MORE WORK FOR THE COMMITTEE.
Mr.W.W. Burdette offered the resolutions, which
were adopted: "First That the committee on
schools be requested to continue its efforts TO obtain
suitable schoorooms for the school children OF that
part OF the second division lying south OF MasSa-
chu5ettS avenue and east OF 9th street. which part
hereby instructed to again apply to Congress for
relief, explaining to the proper committee OF that
body how and why the appropriation made in re-
purpose. Second. That said committee be In
strcted to object to the seizure and appropriation
OF Ses S or anS q IT,
said committee be requested to assertion and
report to this association what to be the quail
tncatiOns required OF applicants for admission to
the High School college under the present Dis
tr1ct management, and how and by whom are
these qualifications to be aScertatned and certi-
fed or, In other words, VINO Is to admit pupils to
the High School college, and upon what basis?
Fourth. That said committee he requested to
make, cause to be made, q careful visitation OF
all the common schools Of the second division,
with view to an impartial report to this associa-
ton OF their condition and needs Fifth. That
said committee be authorized to confer and COOP
crate with similar committees In other aSSOcia-
lions.
THE wATER-TAX QUESTION.
MI. L L johnson offered q resolution, which was
adopted: "That the committee on water supply
be requested to ascertain ana report to this asso-
citation whether the executive agents OF the gen.
eral Government, the District Commissioners,
have been vested with the sovereign power OF tax
atiOn so that 1t Is lawful for them TO levy water
taxes without limit upon the people OF the District
and, II such extraordinary power has been 80
vested, whether said Commissioners have as
Sumed, or are about to assume. the exercise OF
such power, and whether there is justification for
its exercise at the present ttme and further that
said committee be especially requested to inquire
and report how the increase OF the water tax will
affect the great body Of poor people who are COM
PEELED to purchase water by reason OF the very
general removal OF pumps On which they formerly
relied"
COMMITTEES APPOINTED.
Mr. Larner said that there was law point In